Funk Big Band
Jazz & Soul.eu
24/08/09 12:34
“One of the better bands out there representing funk music."
Hell yeah ... is there anything better than starting the day with a phat and pumpin' funk joint ? Sure there isn't ... and that's just what I've experienced this morning by checking out the newest, long awaited, second release of UK funkateers, The Sound Stylistics.
On Greasin' the Wheels, The Stylistics mainly serve, instrumental, uptempo funk, executed by some of the UK's most talented and renowned heavyweights such as Jim Watson, Jan Kincaid, Gary Crockett, Snowboy, Simon Finch and many more.
Now first of all let me dismantle a modern fairy tale ...
Today, about everybody who's able to pick up a bass guitar, hit a drum rhtyhm, push some keys on the Rhodes or Hammond, assemble a sample, spit a rap, ... call themselves funk ... no way baby.
The Sound Stylistics ... that's what I call funk music. A perfect mix of The Meters, James Brown, Maceo, ... sauced with a modern touch.
From the start of the album, The Sound Stylistics don't give you much room to breathe with three rumbling powerhouses, Tie on One, The crisis Generator and Crack away Jack. Great tracks, which immediately make me forget all about those, so called funk ambassadors.
The Sound Stylistics cleverly manage to keep the listener's attention by providing individual space for each musician to do his thing. In this way their funk doesn't get boring as it so often is the case. Providing the audience with a soulish, relaxing sidestep in Eye of the Storm, just adds more and more to the already high standard of the grooves and the overall 'like - ability'.
With the ever growing popularity of funk music nowadays, The Sound Stylistics must be considered one of the better bands representing the genre.
Infectious, instrumental funk that summarizes all that's good and you need to know about this fabulous and rich kind of music.
A highly recommended disc.
Jazz & Soul
Dusty Groove America
24/08/09 12:34
Plenty of grease here -- given that The Sound Stylistics are one of the most cooking combos around! The set's a fresh smoker from this damn funky power trio -- who get some great extra help here from Snowboy, Shawn Lee, Eddie Roberts, and others -- a hip expanded lineup who really make the album groove greatly! Many numbers feature some excellent horn parts on top of the fierce keyboards, riffing guitar, and heavy drums -- but horns used in a way that opens up past the norm -- with a bit of the complicated lines you might hear in a funky big band set, even though the size of this lineup is a lot lot smaller. Keyboards include Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and Wurlitzer -- plus a bit of Arp as well -- and the record sounds more like a stone funky soundtrack than most other deep funk sets of this nature! Titles include "Eye Of The Storm", "Crack Away Jack", "Tie One On", "The Crisis Generator", "The Taking Of Peckham 343", "One For The Road", "Say It Isn't So", "El Nino", "Cornholin", "Big Pieces", and "The Burner". © 1996-2009, Dusty Groove America, Inc.
Dusty Groove
Jelly Jazz.com
24/08/09 12:32
Top choice rekkid!
The Sound Stylistics
'Greasin' The Wheels'
(Freestyle)
Good god! Here's an absolutely top class funk album from start to finish! I don't need to say any more than that really, but I suppose I should... brainchild of Jason and Dominic Glover and Gary Crockett with ranks of superb musicians guesting, 'Greasin The Wheels' is 12 tracks of authentic soul jazz and funk that sounds like a classic on the first listen. It's a homage to all the best bits of jazz/funk culture, with classic labels like Prestige/Blue Note/Atlantic etc being referenced along with soundtracks, library and so on. Blisteringly funky, beautifully produced, rock solid arrangements and the very best musicianship make this nothing short of perfect!
Jelly Jazz